Page 90 of Special Delivery

“You should. It’s one of the cutest houses I’ve ever sold.” Her gaze focuses on something behind me. “Is that?” A gasp. “It is.”

Emma turns to where Isabelle is looking. “Who?”

“Just a client. A very attractive client,” Isabelle responds.

“Paige, isn’t that Ryan?” Emma narrows her eyes.

My head snaps back. It is Ryan. He’s holding a little girl’s hand while walking her down a driveway.

“You know him?” Isabelle’s high-pitched voice asks.

Emma lets out a snort.

“Yeah. Ryan’s mom and my dad are getting married,” I respond, unwilling to share the details of our unlabeled arrangement.

“Oh, that’s nice, I’d tell you to put in a good word for me, but it’s obvious his relationship is pretty serious.”

Her words don’t register in my brain right away. I watch a beautiful, blonde woman open the door where Ryan knocked, and the little girl runs into her arms.

“Relationship?” Emma beats me to the question.

“Yeah, he told me he was dating someone the last time I showed him a house. I know I shouldn’t hit on clients or whatever, but this town doesn’t have a surplus of eligible bachelors, so I need to take my chances.”

“R-really? When was that?” I ask.

“A couple of weeks before Labor Day. Ugh, the house was a great deal, but he was totally disinterested.”

“Before Labor Day?”

“Yeah, he put a pause on finding a house afterward. I don’t think he’s ready for it, to be honest.”

A couple of weeks before Labor Day. We barely knew each other. I certainly couldn’t be the relationship he was referencing. Was he dating someone? Is he still dating someone?

Is that his daughter?

Images of finding out Bradley had a family flood my mind. Only, instead of Bradley, I see Ryan. Ryan, the little girl, the beautiful blonde woman, and this perfect scene playing right in front of my eyes.

My heart thumps loudly in my chest as my ears start buzzing and bile rises in my throat. My feet itch to get away from here.

“I-it was nice seeing you, Isabelle. But I need to head back.”

I start toward the house, leaving Emma behind. My calves burn, but I quicken my pace, desperate to get home as soon as possible.

I don’t get far before I hear Emma’s voice behind me. “Paige! What are you doing?”

Ignoring her, I pick up my pace. Unfortunately, my pace is still nothing to a person who runs every single day.

“Paige!” Her hand wraps around my upper arm, forcing me to glance at her. Her mouth parts, noticing my blurry eyes and sullen expression. “Oh, Paige.”

My face is enough of a distraction for her grip on my arm to loosen, so I start running again. She falls into step next to me but stays quiet for the rest of the run. By the time we arrive at the house, tears stream freely down my face, any attempt at deep breaths replaced by desperate sniffles.

I snap my eyes shut to get a grip, but the visions of the betrayal I’ve lived through haunt my mind.

“Paige…” Emma places a comforting palm on my back.

“I just want to go home,” I respond between sniffles.

“You will, after you talk to us.” Gently, she leads me inside, where my sister appears in the hallway.